Emirates’ efforts to resume its flight operations faced a significant challenge on Monday when an Iranian drone strike targeted a fuel storage facility close to Dubai International Airport, resulting in the suspension of flights.
The incident was contained without any reported injuries; however, road and tunnel access to the airport was restricted. Consequently, some flights were redirected to Al Maktoum International Airport.
Initially, Emirates announced a halt to all flights in and out of Dubai, but by 10 am, the state-owned airline communicated that it would be reinstating a “limited” flight schedule.
“Regrettably, several flights from today’s timetable have been cancelled,” the airline stated.
Updates on the Iran conflict:
The airline, which has been among the most active in the region, was servicing nearly 120 destinations prior to the attack on Monday.
According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, Emirates has had to cancel 1,581 out of 2,796 scheduled flights since the onset of the conflict, affecting approximately 644,133 seats.
This analysis is based on an estimated load factor of 80% and an average flight capacity of 242 seats, excluding those flights within the Middle East.
